Elemental Tale
by ElegantButler
Summary: Four warriors must unite to stop a new threat.
1. Prologue

Kingdom Hearts II: Elemental Tale

**Kingdom Hearts II: Elemental Tale**

by Axel Ingleson and Darcy Black-Valentine

-Prologue-

They were never meant to be apart. This much was clear to King Mickey as he pored over Ansem's old reports. The two Keyblade Masters and the two mages should have been together from day one. But fate had parted what was meant to be a foursome. So the Heartless were still around as were the Nobodies.

And the only thing that could defeat them was if those meant to be together were united as a single force.

That would mean putting aside past differences and learning to work together. But that was only a matter of the two Keyblade Masters learning to put aside their negative feelings toward the two mages who had been members of Organization XIII.

The younger Keyblade Master had already forgiven the fire mage. That wasn't too difficult since the older teenager had basically helped them out at the end. But the water mage's help had been more subtle, so it had gone unnoticed by the younger Keyblade Master. But it had saved the older one's life in the long run.

King Mickey decided it was time to visit his old teacher. Giving his Queen a kiss goodbye, he boarded the Royal Train and headed off to the world on which old Yen Sid lived.


	2. Chapter 1

**Kingdom Hearts II: Elemental Tale**

by Axel Ingleson and Darcy Black-Valentine

-Chapter One-

Yen Sid gazed levelly at the crystal ball in his hand.

"So, my pupil, you come at last to right that which went so horribly wrong."

King Mickey nodded, quietly.

"You're thinking is correct," Yen Sid told him. "Those four were meant to be together. But fate dealt a cruel blow to them. Had they fought side-by-side, there would be no Heartless or other Nobodies. But Organization XIII abducted them and Castle Oblivion altered their memories so they never knew what their true function in the Heartless War was meant to be."

"Is there any way to bring the mages back into existence?" King Mickey asked.

"Axel and Demyx can be brought back," Yen Sid nodded. "But once that has happened, it will be up to you, my pupil, to close the rift between them and Riku and Sora. That will not be an easy task. Your best bet will be to start off with the remaining rift between Sora and Axel. Since they basically parted as friends, this will not be too difficult. The rift between Sora and Demyx will be a bit more difficult. But Demyx's advice to Sora did save Riku's life. So if you point that out, Sora will be more likely to accept Demyx as a friend."

King Mickey nodded in agreement.

On this unusual day of the year, the wind was blowing which caused massive waves to beat against the shore. So, what were Sora and Riku doing? Surfing, of course. Well, truth be told, Riku was doing the surfing, Sora was just wiping out…brilliantly though. The third time, when he and his board washed up on the beach, he got angry and pouted.

"Why can't I do this? I can defeat Heartless, Ansem, Nobodies, and Organization XIII, but I can't freaking surf!"

He pulled on his hair in punishment as he watched Riku surf with apparent ease.

"It's easy, Sora. You just have to practice."

At that precise moment, Riku hit a reef and wiped out spectacularly in the water. Sora watched with buggy eyes for about a minute then Riku popped up in the shallows, spitting out water and hauling his board up.

"Easy, huh?" Sora asked.

When Riku approached him, he gave him a playful slap and said,

"Shut up, Sora."

Sora put on an innocent front, but when Riku had his back turned, he covered his mouth with his hand and laughed. At that moment, a shining metal track appeared on the beach and the two teens looked up to see King Mickey step off the train.

"Hey Your Majesty. Good to see you again," Sora said.

"We can catch up later, right now, we have something important to talk about."

"What's wrong your majesty?" Riku asked.

"Something went wrong in the Heartless War," King Mickey explained. "Something that must be corrected. A separation that never should have happened. The two who were lost are coming back. Once that happens, you and they must unite against the Heartless and the Nobodies who remain."

"Who's coming back?" Sora asked. "Roxas and Namine?"

"Axel and Demyx." King Mickey explained.


	3. Chapter 2

Kingdom Hearts II: Elemental Tale

**Kingdom Hearts II: Elemental Tale**

by Axel Ingleson and Darcy Black-Valentine

-Chapter Two-

"Axel and who?" Sora asked.

"The water mage," King Mickey explained. "I believe you met him originally in the Underworld?"

"The wimp?" Sora asked. "Whatever is _he_ coming back for?"

"Because we need all four elements for the battle that is to come. Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. In other words, Riku, yourself, Axel, and Demyx."

"Couldn't you get a better water mage?"

"There are no other water mages available. Yen Sid is busy and Merlin, as you know, cannot leave Radiant Garden."

"So we have to put up with the biggest wimp in all the worlds."

"I believe he did fight rather admirably in your last battle with him," King Mickey pointed out. "And Axel won't join you unless you accept Demyx as well. They're a matched set."

"Axel and Demyx are a couple?" Sora asked.

"They've always been together," Riku explained. "I think Demyx's destruction was the reason that Axel sacrificed himself. He wanted to be with his true love."

Sora looked up at the sky and said,

"Sounds kind of…sappy."

Sora fell to his knees as someone whacked him upside the head. He looked around and saw, much to his surprise, the very fire and water mages that they had been discussing.

"Who just spent a year looking for his boyfriend?"

Sora didn't answer, but crossed his arms and looked away, feeling very flustered. He chanced a side look at Riku and saw that he was blushing, however slightly. King Mickey saw where this was going and raised a hand for silence.

"We need to discuss this elsewhere. Somewhere we won't be overheard."

"We could go to my house," Riku offered. "I just got my own place last week. It's big enough for all of us."

King Mickey nodded in agreement.

"Could we leave the wimp behind?" Sora asked.

Demyx summoned his sitar and brought it down on Sora's head, driving Sora all the way into the ground save for his head which was sticking comically out of the sand.

"Just who are you calling a wimp?" he asked.

Axel glared at Sora. "If you want our help, you'll be respectful to my fiancé."

Demyx stared at Axel. "Since when did I become your fiancé?"

"You haven't remembered yet?" Axel asked in astonishment. "I got my memory back when I came back from the darkness. That's when the spell Castle Oblivion wove over me was broken."

"And you remembered that you and I are engaged to be married?"

"That and other things," Axel admitted as they followed Riku and King Mickey to Riku's house.

"Hey," Sora called, "wait! Don't leave me here!"


	4. Chapter 3

Kingdom Hearts II: Elemental Tale

**Kingdom Hearts II: Elemental Tale**

by Axel Ingleson and Darcy Black-Valentine

-Chapter Three-

Riku's 'house' was the largest estate on the main island. He had bought it with the money he had earned as the worlds' greatest Keyblade Master. It consisted of a good sized mansion in the front, a training ground for fighters in the back and a very nice garden, which showed that Riku was a sucker for romance.

Axel and Demyx, Sora figured, would be spending a lot of time in said garden.

"So," Demyx asked Axel again, "what else did you remember besides us being engaged?"

"I remembered that our names were always Axel and Demyx oddly enough," Axel replied. "Everyone else had other names, Ienzo, Braig, etc. But you and I were always Axel and Demyx."

"What kind of idiot names their son Demyx?" Sora asked, unwisely.

WHAM!

Demyx hugged his sitar. "Poor sitar," he cooed as he brushed it off and tended to it. "Did the nasty guy's head hurt you?"

Give me a break! Sora thought to himself.

"Anyway," King Mickey started. "Since the remaining Heartless and Nobodies are Elemental, Yen Sid believes that we need our own Elementals. The remaining Heartless and Nobodies are most likely being controlled by a higher elemental force. Therefore, we need the four of you to fight these remaining creatures and possibly this higher force."

"How?" Sora asked.

"We need to learn how to use our elements for battle," Riku explained. "My element is earth. So my best attacks, outside of Keyblade mastery, would be sandstorms, rock avalanches, and so on. Yours, Sora, would be wind-based attacks. And I don't mean the hot air variety you've been demonstrating since our guests arrived."

Sora stuck his tongue out at Riku.

"Axel and Demyx of course have their own attacks which you've already witnessed. And Demyx is clearly quite strong despite your incorrect opinions of him."

"He's a wimp," Sora said, sticking to his guns.

Demyx set his sitar down and glared at Sora. "You think I'm such a weakling," he challenged. "Fine. Pick it up."

Sora shrugged and went to lift Demyx's sitar. He grunted as he tried to pick it up, but it was both very cold and very heavy.

"Ice?" Sora asked.

Demyx nodded, as he lifted it with no effort whatsoever.

"I'm suddenly a bit more impressed than I was before." Sora admitted. "Sorry about the wimp stuff."

Demyx shrugged. "Hey, no hard feelings, right?" He extended his hand.

Sora smiled and shook Demyx's hand. "Right!"


	5. Chapter 4

Kingdom Hearts II: Elemental Tale

**Kingdom Hearts II: Elemental Tale**

by Axel Ingleson and Darcy Black-Valentine

-Chapter Four-

Sora was not having an easy time of eating his noodles with the chopsticks the Chinese restaurant had brought with the meals. This was making Riku chuckle, fondly, as he ate his own food with an expertise that spoke of familiarity.

"Since when did you learn to eat with these things?" Sora asked, indicating his chopsticks.

"Since Mulan's world," Riku shrugged. "I was there for a week before you caught up with me. I still keep in touch with that world. One of the restaurants there is where I order from."

"You really shouldn't do that," King Mickey pointed out. "The worlds are supposed to be kept apart. Remember?"

Riku nodded. "But why? Wouldn't it be better for everyone if the worlds were united?"

"Beats me," Sora shrugged. He turned to ask Axel his opinion, but the fire mage was too busy kissing Demyx to notice anything.

The two mages were in the middle of sharing a mini-corn cob when Sora flung one and hit Axel in the face. There was a slight pause in which Sora had to cover his mouth to try and stifle his laughter before Axel rose from his chair, spinning his chakrams. Sora's eyes widened and he got up out of his chair.

In a flash, the brunet was running around the table, being chased by the flaming chakrams. Riku watched for a while with mild interest before taking the initiative and tripping up Sora, causing the boy to fall on his face. The chakrams returned to their master and Axel looked over Sora, still lying on the floor.

"That oughta teach ya."

The fire mage sat back down in his seat and proceeded to feed Demyx little bits of vegetables out of his Chinese ramen. Sora grumbled something about 'crazy redheads' and went back to his chair, flopping down on it and trying, once again, to eat his food with the chopsticks. King Mickey surveyed this whole scene in silence, watching in mild amusement as the noodles fell from Sora's chopsticks…again.

"So, what were you saying about the four of us needing to defeat these elemental forces, King Mickey?" Riku asked, setting aside his chopsticks.

The king coughed and said,

"Right. Well, each of you has the ability to use one element. Each element counters another. Since the current Heartless and Nobodies are elemental in nature, you're all needed to use your abilities against those which your own abilities counter."


	6. Chapter 5

Kingdom Hearts II: Elemental Tale

**Kingdom Hearts II: Elemental Tale**

by Axel Ingleson and Darcy Black-Valentine

-Chapter Five-

"So, when do we start this little endeavor?" Axel asked, after dinner was over and the dishes had been done. Demyx had gotten Sora back for his little joke by causing the water from the faucet to redirect itself upward and soak the younger Keyblade Master.

"Tomorrow morning," Riku replied. "We could all use some rest. Assuming that the Heartless and the Nobodies that are left will let us get any."

"Everyone be on your guard," King Mickey warned. "Whoever is controlling the remaining Heartless and Nobodies might already be onto our plan."

"Just one problem, there's one less bed than there are people."

"That's okay," Axel replied. "I'm staying up tonight. Someone has to keep an eye on things tonight."

Sora nodded, then went into one of the bedrooms. He was about to get into the waterbed when someone grabbed him by the scruff of the neck.

"Mine." Demyx told him, climbing into the waterbed and drifting off to sleep.

"Okay…" Sora muttered, watching as the waterbed began to ripple.

He walked into the next room and found Riku already in bed, sound asleep.

Unable to help himself, Sora walked up to the bed and kissed Riku as he slept.

Riku reached up and pulled Sora closer, causing the younger Keyblade Master to whimper in surprise.

"I love you, too, Sora," he whispered, eyes still closed.

Sora finally found a bed for himself and climbed in. With a yawn, he lie down. His head had just hit the pillow when he heard a fight going on downstairs.

Rushing downstairs with a yawn, he saw Axel battling a band of ice demons. Demyx was soon there, fighting side-by-side with his boyfriend.

More demons came. Hot water clones. One of them attacked Demyx, sending tendrils of hot water down the water mage's throat.

"Demyx!" Axel cried out, casting a fire spell at the hot water demon until it vanished in a wisp of steam.

Demyx clutched his throat, whimpering at the sensation of the burns the hot water had left behind.

Axel pulled Demyx into his arms and kissed him, using his control over fire to erase the burns from within the water mage's throat.

Sora raised his keyblade to attack one of the water clones. At the same time, Riku moved forward to attack an ice clone.

Just then, one of the ice clones launched a full scale attack, freezing the four elemental warriors in blocks of solid ice.

Sora, Riku, and Demyx quickly fell into a deep sleep. But Axel, being a fire mage, began to slowly melt the ice around him.

Being the only one awake, Axel aged, though more slowly than he would have if he had not been encased in ice. His skin remained smooth and young, but his hair was now pure white.

After one hundred years, Axel finally melted the ice from around himself and Demyx. When he looked around and saw the other two still frozen in the ice, his eyes widened a fraction of an inch and he made a sort of strangled sound.

"How in the world was this possible?" Demyx asked.

"Beats me."


	7. Chapter 6

Kingdom Hearts II: Elemental Tale

**Kingdom Hearts II: Elemental Tale**

by Axel Ingleson and Darcy Black-Valentine

-Chapter Six-

All four of the Elemental Fighters walked through town, noticing that it was deserted and run down. They looked through the front glass of the music store and saw that there was nothing left there except a broken sitar that was covered in a fine layer of dust. Demyx's face fell and he went inside the store to examine the broken instrument. Sora stood beside his friend and looked at the instrument.

"Any chance of fixing it?" he asked.

"No…not when it's broken to this degree."

The other two entered the store and watched as Demyx brought the sitar outside.

"What are you going to do with it?" Axel asked.

Demyx shrugged.

"Don't really know yet. An idea will probably come to me as the day wears on."

They made their way through town. As they neared the edge of the town, Sora spotted his mother's house. Or rather, what was left of it. It looked as though it had burned down ages ago, which it probably had.

Tears streaming down his face, he ran to the burnt embers and found a small star-like charm lying amidst the ruins. It was clear that Kairi had been there when the house had been destroyed. He wept as he realized that Kairi would never have left the charm behind.

Picking up the charm, he looked over at Demyx, who gave him a look of sympathy. "Looks like we both found something of sentimental value."

Sora nodded. Then, he looked out at the little island and gasped. "Riku! Look!"

Riku took one look, then ran as fast as he could to his boat. Rowing out to his island as fast as he could, he was soon kneeling at the charred trunk where the Paopu tree had once grown.

He dug frantically through the ashes until he found a single burnt seed. He clutched it in his hand.

"Let me see," Demyx said, holding his hand out to Riku.

Riku held out the seed, reluctantly.

Demyx took the seed and wove a teardrop of water which was clear and at the same time the color of Riku's eyes around it. This teardrop was attached to a chain of ice that wasn't cold at all.

Demyx tied the chain around Riku's neck and then decided, finally, to bury the sitar.


	8. Chapter 7

Kingdom Hearts II: Elemental Tale

**Kingdom Hearts II: Elemental Tale**

by Axel Ingleson and Darcy Black-Valentine

-Chapter Seven-

Riku used his newfound power over land to create a small grave for the broken sitar.

Once the grave had been made, he stepped back.

Demyx solemnly lowered the sitar into the ground and nodded to Riku, who covered the ruined instrument. Then Demyx and the others stood silently by the grave, each contemplating their own thoughts.

Riku fingered the water-necklace Demyx had made for him which housed the small burnt paopu seed.

After the funeral was over, Demyx turned to Axel, who was slightly bent over. The fire mage's age seemed to be catching up with him.

"What's your sentimental object?" he asked, wonderingly.

"I guess I'll find out when the time comes." Axel shrugged.

The sky darkened with ominous clouds. Before anyone could draw their weapon, a voice called out to them, "This way! Hurry!"

Riku followed it, with Sora, Axel and Demyx close behind.

They made their way into the secret cave where Sora and Kairi and Riku had carved paintings so long ago. There they found a figure who looked familiar, yet somehow different.

"Your majesty?" Sora asked.

"No," Riku shook his head. "I had a connection to the King. This isn't him. Or rather, this is a new King."

"King Mickey IV," the mouse king told them. "My great grandfather left instructions to give you for when you awakened. They've been passed down through my family for several generations. Now that you're awake, it's time to give them to you at last."

Riku nodded.

"The first thing I've been told to do was to give this candle to Axel," King Mickey IV told them. He held out a lit candle. It was red and in the shape of a coiled dragon.

Axel took the candle. All at once, the color of the candle turned to white as Axel's hair turned red once more. "Exactly how long have we been asleep?" he asked, his age also seeming to have gone back several years.

"One hundred years," King Mickey IV replied. "In that time, the Heartless and Nobodies have pretty much taken over. Your task has become much more difficult as a result. But you will find new friends who will help you."

"Where do we start?" Sora asked.

"In the city once known as Radiant Garden," the King told them. "It's the last place that's been able to hold off the Heartless and the Nobodies."

"Once known as Radiant Garden," Sora asked. "What do they call it now?"

"St. Axel," the King replied.


End file.
